Namo Buddahya friends!

To continue the theme of mythology, I was thinking about a conversation I had with someone about a “Spiritual Location”.

The conversation started with a man who I will call Scott. Scott recently spent a few days at a retreat facility in Colorado. He told me of driving on to the property, and witnessing a man in simple clothing approach a stupa, walk around it a number of times, and offer a prayer. Scott was intrigued by the sight, and approached the man, asking what he was doing. The man explained that […]

I’ve been thinking a lot about our personal narratives, almost to the point of obsession for about a month now.  Our narratives are the stories we tell ourselves as we live our lives. Who we think we are, how important (and insignificant) we can feel in different situations, around different crowds and, most poignantly, how we use our personal narratives as excuses for how we treat (some) people in ways we would never EVER… dream of treating others, or accept being treated. Where do these narratives come from, why we use them, and […]

This week’s blog was very difficult for me to write. Each time I began to conceptualize a topic, I struggled with the events of the week. The long-planned pilgrimage to India was upon us, so many of the people I see on a regular basis were leaving, there was some conflict between some of my friends, my dog bit a vet tech (and had to be quarantined), my wife’s aunt (whom I love dearly) had a fall and broke all but one of her ribs on the right side, and I struggled with the debate over 2 needed surgeries I […]

Mindfulness is a habit that every conscious person can and should practice; it is the idea of being present and aware of the current moment.

In Buddhism, the definition is taken a bit further by applying the wisdom of the Buddha and Dhamma to every moment of one’s day. In doing so, a follower of the Buddha patiently begins to understand the fundamental, underlying laws surrounding life. Which gives them an intention behind the things they do—day to day—from their thoughts, to simple interactions with others. Simply put, it’s the act of becoming the best version of oneself. Not just for […]

Would you rather…. it’s a simple game of preference, that offers two activity options. Would you rather, hold a snake, or kiss a frog… Choices can range from funny, unpleasant, or odd. Choosing either option elicits a reaction (generally laughter), after your choice, the game continues with a new set of options, and (hopefully) renewed laughter. All in all, a fairly benign way to pass the time.

Interestingly enough, we play the game “Would you rather”, (within our minds) all day, every day. We’ve done this from the time we were old enough to begin building our own personal armor that […]

mind·ful·ness
ˈmīn(d)f(ə)lnəs/
noun

1. the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something. “their mindfulness of the wider cinematic tradition”
2. a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.

In simple terms, the word mindfulness means to be aware. The concept seems simple, but fully understanding the concept of mindfulness reaches far more places than you might imagine. Some might view the concept of mindfulness as how we treat others, some may view it as the practice of perfecting a skill, or a […]